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Across the country, more than 90 percent of public library facilities offer a dedicated teen space. For some, however, getting teenagers to actually visit and use that space is a perennial challenge. Last year, the Friends of the Cook Public Library landed on an innovative and decidedly memorable way to engage area teens with the library and its programming.

Let’s back up for a moment. Located 90 minutes north of Duluth and an hour from the Canadian border, the town of Cook is as isolated as any in Minnesota. This is doubly true during the long winter months. In order to help residents through the worst of the season, the Friends of the Cook Public Library collaborate with library staff on a so-called Adult Winter Reading Program. Typical events include author visits, movie screenings, and other logistically straightforward offerings.

For the 2018 finale, however, the Friends partnered with the library’s standing Teen Advisory Board on something entirely different. On March 8, these co-organizers invited patrons to a Roaring Twenties soiree – gone horribly wrong.

In the middle of the party (held at the library), one of the guests was “unexpectedly murdered.” Naturally, it then fell to the other attendees to discover whodunnit, and why!

Teen Advisory Board members, together with a few Friends and staffers, dressed the part and carried the night’s plot forward. Costumes and props, purchased inexpensively from the local thrift shop, added a sense of realism to their 1920s personas.

Visitors were encouraged to mingle with this cast of characters, asking questions and reconstructing the lead-up to the heinous crime. At the end of the night, the actors reenacted the scene point for point, allowing participants the gratification of knowing how close they were to the mark.

Lead librarian Crystal Phillips had sketched out the story line ahead of time, and made sure that each volunteer knew how they fit into the central narrative. “Crystal wanted to expand on that winter’s adult reading them of mystery books, and create a grand celebration to cap off the programming series,” explained Friends president Kathy Sacchetti.

The Friends supplied a budget of $200 for costumes, table decorations, and snacks. (They asked for and received additional refreshments as an in-kind donation.)

In such a small town, The Friends felt it was a reasonable goal to reach everyone in the community with word of the murder mystery. If they didn’t succeed, they at least came close! In addition to social media and web promotions, they received nice coverage in the local Cook News Herald. For good measure, volunteers also conducted a good old-fashioned poster campaign across town. Word of mouth, plus a follow-up feature in the newspaper, continued the buzz after the fact.

“Staff received wonderful, positive remarks for weeks afterwards, and several people made it a point to say they wanted a sequel in 2019,” Sacchetti recalled. The Friends obliged in March 2019, with an even more ambitious premise: the murder of the titular Count of Monte Cristo of Alexandre Dumas fame!

This e-newsletter doubles as our last chance to remind and encourage you to apply for the 2019 Evy Nordley Award. Applications must be received/postmarked by June 21.

While we can’t tell you what your odds of winning are, we can say with some certainly: better than you think. Over the past five years alone, at least two Friends of the Library groups wavered over whether even to take part, and came away with the top prize!

You may simply be too close to your project, or too aware of the challenges and shortcomings, to fully appreciate how impressive your latest Friends initiative really was. And what is there to lose? Applicants typically report that compiling materials and submitting a nomination takes them less than two hours.

Click here to learn more, and to apply. Remember, anything from innovative membership solicitations, to successful fundraising efforts, to a gangbusters book sale are eligible for Evy Nordley consideration.

MALF welcomes a new member to its board of directors this month: Loretta Ellsworth of Lakeville (Dakota County).

Ellsworth is the author of five books, including four young adult novels. Her adult debut, Stars Over Clear Lake, is an historical fiction romance set during World War II. It won her a host of honors, including ALA’s Notable Book designation, the Midwest Bookseller’s Choice Honor Award, and the Northeastern Minnesota Book Award (NEMBA).

Ellsworth is a former teacher, and holds a master’s degree in writing for children from Hamline University. She is a regular judge of the Minnesota Book Awards, and has also volunteers with the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI).

Ellsworth has been involved with her local Friends of the (Lakeville) Heritage Library for fourteen years. Eleven years ago, she pioneered OneBook, OneLakeville, a hugely successfully community reads program which she continues to chair for the Friends today.

MALF’s mission work is board-driven, and a new recruit like Loretta is certainly something to celebrate. If you would like to consider contributing time and talents to bettering Friends and libraries in Minnesota, reach out to us at info@mnlibrayfriends.org. Our Nominating Committee would be delighted to talk over directorship, contributions to one of MALF’s working group, or some other role with our organization.